Switched On Symphony

New Musical Express, March, 1970

There was a brilliant clash of colour as Mehta, tempestuous leader of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, and Anderson, boss of Jethro Tull, held their musical summit conference. [...] And so it went on as 'long-hairs' from two different worlds met to tape a TV special promoted by America's powerful Bell Telephone Company. The show may be seen in Britain later this year. They are calling it 'Switched On Symphony' after several titles like 'Pop Goes the Symphony', 'From Bach to Rock', and 'The Longhairs—Bach, Beatles and Beyond' were discarded. This latest classi-pop experiment is being put together by that brave if slightly unorthodox transplant from London, Jack Good. It was Jack who with shows like 'Six-Five Special' and American shows like 'Shindig' gave rock a national respectability on TV when Auntie BBC and others of that ilk frowned on anything more hectic than Victor Silvester. [...]

One scene in the show has the 104-strong symphony orchestra under Mehta's baton joining the Nice in a pop-concert version of 'America' from West Side Story. [...] There's nothing to stop Mehta teaming up with Credence Clearwater or the Grateful Dead or any group.

eBay seller (2008)

"Switched On Symphony" 16mm sound, color, was broadcast several years ago as part of the "Bell Telephone Hour" and subsequently distributed by the Bell Telephone Company to non-theatrical audiences as part of their library. [...] "Switched on Symphony" is the result of a collaboration of two big stars in the music entertainment business, Jazz Genius Frank Zappa and Zubin Mehta, then conductor of the San Fransisco Symphony Orchestra. This rare ground breaking, thrilling documentary has practically disappeared from film listings anywhere, very hard to find in any condition.

Fillmore East, NYC

Authentic 8 mm amateur film, containing 52 seconds of Frank Zappa's May 9, 1970 performance at the legendary Fillmore East in New York. Shot from a side balcony, the film is just wide enough to frame the entire band.

8 mm amateur film, containing 52 seconds of Frank Zappa's May 9, 1970 performance at the legendary Fillmore East in New York. Shot from a side balcony, the film is just wide enough to frame the entire band. Frank himself is most visible in a blue shirt. There are several great segments of him just playing intensely, swaying slightly.

Patrick Neve

Edited portions of the interview were subsequently broadcast in August 1970 and again in December 1970 but the full length interview which runs to 86 minutes now makes its commercial debut on DVD and for Frank Zappa fans this interview will be of immense interest.

Here is the full, unedited, uncoloured, un-subtitled interview Horst Königstein (who did the translations for the two Peter Gabriel German albums) conducted with Frank in Bremen for the Beat-Club. [...] Frank is asked how he thinks people perceive him (a political rebel) and how he thinks of himself (composer). [...] Frank talks about how the Government and big businesses control TV and how it impacts on the minds of young America; he urges youths to stop demonstrating and become part of the media, military, police, etc. to bring about change from within and to reach larger numbers of people. Horst [...]. Also discussed are Bizarre Records, the GTOs, Rolling Stone magazine, film editing, MGM's censorship of Absolutely Free & WOIIFTM, the 'Berlin Survival' story, and the members of the new 'swinging' Vaudeville band that had been together just a fortnight at time of filming. Horst asks a few overly complex questions, which FZ handles good-naturedly. [...]

Bath Festival Of Blues And Progressive Music

Jochen Laschinsky has also unearthed a minute or so of 8mm footage which contains several short clips of Canned heat, Zappa, Santana and Zeppelin. Unfortunatley, as he was shooting into the sun, the footage is extremely dark.

From: Jon Naurin

From: Peter Overton King

Last week I came into possession of an FZ videotape. It contains two very different items. FZ + the Mothers of Invention, 06.10.68 (Oct.) German TV: "Happening in Studio" Like the title says... it was a "happening" in the studio. The set opens with a loosely-coordinated rock & roll jam, interrupted by a commercial or whatever they had instead of commercials in 1968 Germany, a brief interview with FZ from 1970 or so, and then back to 1968 for the happening. This consisted of a performance with all songs segue and partial improvisation.

From Kristian Kier

Broadcasted the weekend after FZ's death in german television. At this
time the regional *third tv programm* of the northern area of germany, the
"Norddeutscher Rundfunk (N3)" with Radio Bremen have given parts of the
Beat-Club series from 1963 to 1972 in a series of ca. 40 sendings. Because
of this actual event they changed their program and decided to broadcast
the Mothers of Invention in Beat-Club way back in 1968. They recorded this
in their tv-studio with no audience.

1970 Interview

Appears in:

Sunday Night Magazine Show

From: rbb

Frank appeared in an interview on Canadian television (CBC) in an interview with Kay Sjarnson in the fall of 1970. It was on the Sunday night magazine show. The interview ran for about 10 minutes. It was the first time that I ever saw him on television.

Hamilton College, NY

8 mm amateur film, containing 3 minutes and 38 seconds of Frank Zappa's October 17, 1970 performance at the Hamilton College in Clinton, New York.

Shot pretty close to the stage, the film shows lot of Frank Zappa playing, gesturing, talking, but also a fair amount of Flo and Eddie, sharing the front man status and acting up, including dancing, bowing in unison, announcing each other as the winners of some kind of contest. Zappa solos intensely with his cigarette in his guitar strings. There is a nice two-shot of Zappa and Ansley Dunbar flailing away on drums. Zappa frequently directs with his finger and gets the crowd to give the power (fist) salute (barely seen), then invites them to give the Nazi salute (several times, filmed well). After he did so, he yelled "What's the difference?" (thus equating the 'power to the people' movement with fascism . . . ).

German Interview

I have transcribed an interview from German television circa December 1970. This interview should answer all of the questions you have about the RAT TRAP COVER, and is also a nice addition to your Weasels page. It was the first time Zappa ever saw the RAT TRAP COVER, but he knew about it.

GERMAN GUY: I just want to show you ... [shows official Weasels Ripped My Flesh cover to camera]
ZAPPA: This is before ... and after ...
GERMAN: The one .... that you saw before.
ZAPPA: Yeah ... I haven't ... no, I didn't see the other one.
GERMAN: This is the other one ... [shows RAT TRAP COVER to camera, then to Zappa]
ZAPPA: Aaawww.
GERMAN: This is German made, this record.
ZAPPA: It certainly does look like a German album cover, doesn't it.
GERMAN: You've been having trouble with the record companies ... they've been censoring your work.
ZAPPA: Well, I haven't had any problems with the present record company. [inspects the RAT TRAP COVER] This ... actually, in terms of graphics it's not bad. The thing I resent most about this album cover is that it's not the way I wanted it to come out. I wanted it to look like that one [points to official cover]. THAT ONE is ugly enough. I don't need this one.

Beat-Club #62

Between two Emerson, Lake & Palmer segments, there are 4:43 min. of different takes of FZ with Wild Man Fischer from the 1970 VPRO shootings at FZ's home. Wild Man Fischer sings "The Wild Man Fischer Story."

Javier Marcote (February 24, 2009)

ANATOMY OF POP—Episode 3-
Title: Is it all a con?
January 24, 1971
BBC
24'. 02''

Promotion of pop music is big business. Michael Parkinson asks a number of people in the field whether promoters manipulate the public or reflect their tastes. Contributions from John Peel, Frank Zappa & others.

Includes a film of 16':12'' with Free performing "All right now" ( 1'.10''—Top of the Pops 04.06.1970) & Joe Cocker sings "Something" ( 1'.30''—Disco 2—10.01.1970).

Appears in:

Javier Marcote (February 24, 2009)

Shot crowd outside hall, some with posters including one "More Sugar", press photographers around (5'').

Interview Zappa: He'll try to put the concert again eventually; probably some place where they will allow to happen. There has no been official reasons given but seems that this concern of the US pop group with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra was just in bad taste (14'').

Appears in:

Weekend

Kay Sigurjonsson introduces a story on the culture of rock music and drugs. In b/w Ralph Thomas interviews Frank Zappa of the Mothers of Invention rock group who is vehemently opposed to drug culture. Zappa smokes for the duration of the interview.

Interview of Jean-Luc PONTY: described its musical advance. 16 February 1971 BT unrolling with names of musicians. Interview of Ponty, BT Ponty and George Duke, Frank ZAPPA. Music with ZAPPA and PONTY. Continuation of the Interview on political engagement and the music. Return on scene.

From: Charles Ulrich (October 31, 2002)

On the 10/10/71 Howard Smith show, a caller asks FZ, "Why would you condescend to appear on such a program?" FZ tells him:

"I thought it was the most absurd thing that anybody ever asked me to do. How could I pass it up?"

"Soupy Sales guessed me . . . Well, I know him. He used to come to our concerts in Los Angeles in 1967. He was one of our first show-business-type fans, when we started off in Los Angeles in those days. The other thing is that Miss Pamela from the GTOs used to go out with his son. He's named Tony; he's a bass player. I think he was working with Todd Rundgren in that Runt group."

I would classify that [producing Grand Funk Railroad] in the same way that I felt when the phone call came in to be on What's My Line. It's so absurd that you have to do it. (...) You know, I've been invited to do Hollywood Squares. I didn't do that. I was invited to do The Dating Game. I turned that one down. But I thought What's My Line would be pretty funny.

Appears on:

The Dick Cavett Show

The music played:

Jeffrey M. Gold

I don't know why Zappa did not release Sofa until One Size Fits All, but I do remember seeing the '71 band perform Sofa on TV. It was the Dick Cavett Show, which used to be on opposite Johnny Carson in the early 70's. No one had VCR's in those days, so I suppose there is on point in asking if anyone has a tape of it. Does anyone else even remember that performance?

Doug Obrecht

Yeah, I remember it. They also did "Who are the Brain Police". But I thought it was on a show in the middle of the afternoon (in L.A.).

dave

Included a 3 minute performance of Divan, 11 minute interview with 200 motels excerpts and a 4 minute performance of Brain Police.

Jeff

Is that the interview with Phyllis Newman and the guy who played "Link"(?) from Mod Squad? That was an hysterical interview. After Brain Police (I think in German), Phyllis Newman said to Frank, "I've heard of you, but have never heard your music, and I really liked it." Frank responded with, "That's okay because I never heard of you."

Fast Frank :o{-

They played the version of "Sofa" from that era—most if not all of which was German—and the version of "Who Are the Brain Police?" from that era, sort of a snappy, upbeat tune...nothing at all like the original. I recall Dick Cavett asking Frank to translate the words to "Sofa." Frank somehow managed to plead ignorance without losing any of his cool Frankness.

Mark A. Natola

Somewhere I think I have an audio tape made from this show. The Mothers also did "Who are the Brain Police". I believe FZ is interviewed and he comments that he is amazed that he was asked to be on the show. 200 Motels was also discussed during the interview.

Peter Buxton

I remember the show well, and at one time I had an audio recording of the two songs. I still vividly remember Frank's guitar solo on "Who Are The Brain Police" and the harmony as Flo and Eddie sang.

Mike Keneally (Guitar Player, February, 1999)

The Mothers of Invention with Flo and Eddie were on The Dick Cavett Show, and that was the first time I heard their music. It was in 1971 and Frank was promoting the 200 Motels movie. They played "Sofa No. 1," which is a waltz, and though they all looked so weird and scary, they played this song that was so beautiful. At the grand old age of nine, I was really struck by the dichotomy of these freaks playing this really gorgeous music.

When I was about thirteen, I saw him on The Dick Cavett Show with the Turtles playing, I think, "Who Are The Brain Police?" with an extended guitar solo. I had started playing the guitar when I was 10—you know, copying Grand Funk—and hearing this solo and seeing his fingers move, it got me.

Hustler, August, 1974

Hustler: What about the interview done by Dick Cavett?

FZ: It was pretty crummy, actually. He didn't have any good questions. He was afraid to talk to me. He was just nothing. Nothing! He didn't know anything. He had never heard me before. There was just nothing to talk about. That's the trouble with the talk shows you go on. Most of the hosts don't know anything about rock 'n roll. They have research departments and secretaries that go out and hand the host a sheet of paper that says he does this or that. But they still don't know anything. So it's never an in-depth interview.

Melody Maker (September 25, 1971, p. 5)

BBC2's successor to their MM-poll-wining Disco 2 began this week. Titled The Old Grey Whistle-test, it appears every Tuesday night between 10.55 and 11.25.

Presented by Ian Whitcomb, whose hits in America included "N-N-N-Nervous" and "You Turn Me On" and the MM's Richard Williams, the show will retain the live studio group and album-tracks-with visuals from Disco 2, but will also include commentary, discussion, interviews.

Next week's programme includes the second part of a selection of clips from the films being shown in the National Film Theatre's Celluloid Rock season, plus—in the studio—Head, Hands and Feet. The following week will feature an interview with Frank Zappa, talking about this movie, 200 Motels.

Javier Marcote (January 21, 2009)

Further info:

"POP MUSIC. Filmed interview with Frank Zappa, and production footage of Richard Williams introducing the programme, for future transmission in THE OLD GREY WHISTLE TEST of 16.11.71. Zappa talks about what the film 200 MOTELS is about, being based on the experiences of musicians on the road together, particularly with the Mothers of Invention. He explains why it was all shot on a sound stage and not on location, which was to make it look more 'stylised'—and, of course, it was cheaper. Talks about why it was shot in Britain—in order to shoot on the British PAL 625 system and then transfer to film, the latter achieved better in this country than in the US, with Britain also being last place where Technicolor uses the dye transfer system of producing prints, which he wanted to use. Zappa then talks about any possible controversy problems, having just been banned from the Royal Albert Hall, and what sort of people buy his records [Interview footage incomplete, terminating mid-way through one of Richard Williams's questions. There is also some mute footage during the interview, between 05.25 and 05.33, with one of Williams's questions being partly lost] (6.35). Colour transmission test bars and countdown clock (8.36). Richard Williams introducing the special programme on Zappa (09.21). Blank screen and countdown clock (10.20). Shot of the studio set with large posters of Zappa in the background (12 mins 8 secs).

FRANK ZAPPA: Report on the leader of MOTHERS OF INVENTION of passage in PARIS. Frank ZAPPA arrives at Orly then grants a short interview in a corridor of the airport to WHITE Patrice FRANCARD in connection with the fire which has occurred at the time of its last London concert.

Maintenance with Philippe PARINGAUX with Frank ZAPPA (transl. off) intersected by extracts with its last film "Two hundred motels". It tells the concept of this film to be left soon, "a notation symbolic of what can arrive to you when you are in round", is not explained the success of group "MOTHERS OF INVENTION" in Europe. Frank ZAPPA wishes to again add a copper section to MOTHERS OF INVENTION in order to carry out "more interesting" compositions. It is said little concerned about the interpretation made by the public of its shows, reveals that it listens to more classical music, of rhythm' N blues that of "pop" music and more generally speaks about the music than it appreciates by disparaging the fashion of the American productions which consists in adding violins on all the types of music.

From: Jakobi-Mennen

This is a program that shows "the making of 200 motels" for some 35 minutes as filmed by Roelof Kiers, without the vacuumcleaner scene in Frank's house and Dweezil in the kitchen sink. Roelof interviews the maincharacters and you witness the shooting in the Pinewood studios.

From: Corné van Hooijdonk (April 20, 2007)

"The Making Of 200 Motels" by Rudolf Kiers, VPRO. Originally aired december 23rd, 1971.

Original song, music by Lucio Dalla and Rosalino Cellamare, lyrics by Don Carlos Dunaway; "(I Guess) the Lord Must Be in New York City" and "The Puppy Song," music and lyrics by Harry Nilsson, performed by Harry Nillson, courtesy of RCA; "That's the Way I've Always Heard It Should Be," music and lyrics by Jacob Brackman and Carly Simon, performed by Carly Simon, courtesy of Elektra; "Get a Little," music and lyrics by Frank Zappa, performed by Frank Zappa, courtesy of Bizarre Reprise; "Parson and His Son," music and lyrics undetermined, performed by the Wilder Brothers, courtesy of RCA-Victor; "Gabriel's Mother's Hiway," music and lyrics by Arlo Guthrie, performed by Arlo Guthrie, courtesy of Reprise; "Just Me," music and lyrics undetermined, performed by Rhinoceros, courtesy of Elektra; "4/3/1943," by Edizioni Musicali RCA "Amici del Disco s.p.a."

The Merv Griffin Show

From: DonNick

Here's another one... Frank was a guest on The Merv Griffin Show.(?) One of the other guests was Dennis Hopper. Hopper was being really obnoxious interrupting Frank when he spoke. Frank was visibly getting very irritated with him, and put him down quickly with a few choice remarks. I wish I could remember what Frank said!

Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Yves Monast (November 14, 2008)

i got a 4mm footage of uncle frank in 8mm from mtl forum 27 oct 1972 . many years ago we do the transfert of 8mm with a special box and shoot the screen with a 8mm cam not knowing what band i will see....there s still one that i can t find the name (opening for elton john in 1972 with a blonde girl on vocals) all the 8mm was shooted from the 4 th row (good connection) and some was dammaged by a flood in mtl many years ago but i transfered them all anyway the frank zappa is one of those dammaged one but i m happy to have it....it s straight on frank zappa ...

Nassau Coliseum

From: David Graham

I have seen in Melody Maker 5/1973 an interview and feature on John McLaughlin and the Mahavishnu Orchestra and the interview took place before a concert at NASAU COLISEUM Long Island 5/1973 (I think it's the 19th i need to check) and there are 2 passing mentions to things of great interest.

1# the concert was a double bill with FRANK ZAPPA

2# During the interview the he mentions a CBS film crew filming.

Australian interview (Get To Know)

From: Chris Newman

A 2 part interview with a time-bar running along the bottom of the picture. Frank talks about St. Alphonso's Pancake Breakfast (the story), censorship of his LPs, Holiday Inns, a weird science fiction movie that he wanted to film, all the little in-jokes used in the cover to Overnite Sensation, & some other things. Frank has a good time throughout the interview & has a laugh often.

recording date: 01-Jan-1973
duration: 11.04;5.44
location: SYDNEY,NSW,AUSTRALIA
summary: IV FRANK ZAPPA WHO IS TO TOUR AUSTRALIA WITH BAND. DISCUSSES COMEDY ROUTINE WHICH IS PART OF CONCERT,HIS MUSIC,WHAT HE LOOKS FOR IN A BAND MEMBER,FAVOURITE SINGERS,CENSORSHIP,STORIES ON ALBUMS,PREVIOUS ALBUMS,FILM PROJECTS,REUBEN & THE

Music heard:

From: Chris Newman

Pro-shot footage with a time-bar along the bottom of the picture. The band runs through two verses of a instrumental version of 50-50, so that the cameras & sound can get a balance. Then the band plays what sounds like Be-Bop Tango from the Roxy & Elsewhere LP, followed by an instrumental piece. The footage is synced up with the sound up until the instrumental piece, then the familiar Australian 1970's musioc show tradition of superimposing film over an unrelated soundtrack occurs. There are points where the sound matches up with the picture, though. It looks like the film is from the stage at the Hordern Pavillion in Sydney, to me.

Yes it is "yours truly" being spoken to at 1:43, but also around 2:28 you hear me in a discussion with Frank, via the monitor speakers, about Ruth playing Marimba or vibraphone right before the trumpet vamp. My score was marked wrong, so I missed a cue. What I saw on the score was not what I was hearing. Good thing it was a reversal! I will say this; of all the musicians for whom I have mixed concerts (in my day the monitor mix and the house mix were handled by one person) Frank Zappa involved the sound mixer with a high degree of importance. As you can hear from this rehearsal video, the audio—even if it's being recorded from the monitor speaker—is well defined. You can follow the instrument of your choice. Frank's concert system was incredible, I must say. You could play it loud—plenty of power and speakers. But the close miking and absolute control the mixer had over every aspect of every single sound source could make for a clear but loud sound. It sounded so clear and detailed.

Monday Conference: Politics In Rock Scene

Includes footage from:

From: Jon Naurin

"Monday conference", nice interviews & discussions with FZ, plus a proshot RDNZL from one of the Melbourne shows.

From: JWB

I would like to add that the entire pro-shot RDNZL segment is painfully out of sync the entire time and therefore only truly enjoyable if you either close your eyes or shut off the sound. They show it in the middle of the interview, and much to my delight, FZ comments on the poor sync job after they return! He says something to the effect of "That wasn't very professional....."

From: Craig Jones

Pat, I sourced this tape for trading & I have 1st gen off the station master. The date is definitely 2 July 1973. What circulates out there is a pre-broadcast version, before the usual credit talkovers were added at the end. Also, the footage is synced correctly in places, notably part of the guitar solo (this is a problem with a lot of Australian 70's 'live' footage shot by the ABC).

duration: 48'05"
location: SYDNEY,NSW,AUSTRALIA
summary: ROCK MUSICIAN FRANK ZAPPA FACES A PANEL ABOUT HIS MUSIC AND THE MOTIVES BEHIND IT AND FACES OPPOSITION FROM BOB MOORE,WHO QUESTIONS HIM ABOUT THE ROLE OF ROCK MUSIC AS A POLITICAL FORCE IN CHANGING THE MINDS OF THOSE WHO FOLLOW IT.MOORE ASKS WHAT

Appears in:

From Cortina Inn

I'd love to get my hands on that 1973 TV talk show appearance Frank did in Australia, the one that appears briefly in Video From Hell.

From Craig Jones

You can't get that particular show, which was from a program I believe was called 'In Adelaide Tonight with Ernie Sigley', the name of the guy seen with FZ. The only 1973 Australian TV circulating is 'Monday Conference', of which I have the 1st gen dub from the station master. I have some other (uncirculated) stuff from 1973 Australian TV, but it's on audio tape :(

From: Craig Jones

Also, about the 'conducting the audience' segment from Video From Hell, the name of the source show was (I believe) Sigley In Adelaide, a live night-time format show hosted by Ernie Sigley, broadcast in early July 1973 (between the 4-6).

DS: Yeah. That was pretty cool stuff. Particularly, conducting the audience, where did your idea of doing that . . . I know that you've been doing that for years, too. Is that just somethin' you thought up, or somethin'? How did you come about doin' that? That's my particular favorite, one of my favorite things you do.

FZ: There's a school of European composition that deals with music as texture. Like Penderecki. Some of his stuff would fall into that, where it's not about the melody and the chords. It's about, if you take a group of instruments, and you have them doing different kinds of things all at the same time, it creates something that's more than a chord. It's a texture. It's a sound that's crawling with texture and it's wiggling. And it seemed to me that when an audience applause occurs, there's like, random texture, all the different beats are going at different rates, and that makes this one big sound that's called "Applause". But if you control the rate of the clapping or the location of the clapping you could use the sound of the applause as a musical thing. So I tried it one night and the audience liked it . . .

DS: Working it around the room and such and getting the stereo out of it.

FZ: Yeah. I think the first time I did that was '72 or '73.

4-Corners

Includes footage from:

From: Chris Newman

Investigates payola & kickbacks in the music industry, at the time when Clive Davis of CBS was sacked for supposedly embezzling money. Frank appears for about 4 minutes, first seen rehearsing St. Alphonsos Pancake Breakfast on stage, then in 2 short interviews where he talks about drugs being used as payment in the industry, and then gives his theory that Clive Davis was fired because of the heat that CBS was putting on Watergate.

My theory is that the video comes from [Zurich, September 2, 1973]. Well, my theory got started when I read this quote drdork post:

(...) 8/21/73 Stockholm [thirty-five years ago today!] and 9/2/73 Zurich are the only circulating recordings on which the Mothers performed JTMAEMS and Farther Oblivion without the rest of the Yellow Snow suite. Both times, you can hear FZ giving the band special instructions—because this wasn't just Farther Oblivion.

Well, I saw the video on YouTube and Zappa says the words "Join The March And Eat My Starch" which launches the band into the tune. Well, IINK says the footage is from the European part of the tour. If that is true, it would have to be Zurich because the Yellow Snow Suite wasn't performed live on that part of the tour and we already know what the Stockholm footage looks like.

I compared the Europe '73 video in the Australian interview to the audience recording of 9/2/73 Zurich. The fills in Penguin In Bondage don't seem to match. Most obviously, FZ plays a guitar fill after "when the battery fail" on the video, but not on the Zurich tape.

So it must be from a show we don't have. Which makes at least three European shows where they played JTMAEMS + Farther Oblivion.

Charles Ulrich, October 29, 2009

As Overnitefreak points out, it may be from a confirmed concert that we have no tape of. On the other hand, since it was broadcast on Italian television, perhaps it is from an *un*confirmed Italian concert that we have no tape of, such as 8/29/73 Milan or 9/1/73 Verona.

My theory is that this unknown footage doesn't belong to a concert in Europe, but it comes from this rehearsal at FZ studio in LA just before touring on August 18, 1973 in Copenhagen.

There is at least three cameras who film it, well produced. No evidence of audience. The clothes of the band members are very similar to the both photo sessions by Ginny Winn though reddish due to the red spotlights in the footage.

Early 1974—MOI On The Road

Appears in:

The next feature film I do will be totally animated, but it's a long way from completion. Lately I've been working on a movie for television; a combination of animation, straight scenes, and footage of the band on the road.

A guy who runs a food and beverage service in Colorado Springs let us use his restaurant for part of the film. He gave the band busboy uniforms and we brought a bunch of kids back from the concert to act as customers. Our road manager made this mysterious salad of garbage, dry ice and stuff. The customers ate it and pretended to die. It's just a quick little scene but it looks funny.

Appears in:

From: Brian Lagerman

From: Charles Ulrich

Has anyone seen Cal Schenkel's TV commercial for Apostrophe? Can you describe it? Is it 30 seconds or 60 seconds? Was there one or more than one commercial?

From: Glenn

Yow, it moves fast. Hosted by a mod 1974 dog/DJ type screaming F Z's Apostrophe & naming Nanook Rubs it, Dont Eat the Yellow Snow, Cosmik Debris all with appropriate music & cartoons depicting the songs. "That's right you heard right" is utilized & a quick FZ saying great googly moogly. It ends with "and many more" with 3 musicians jammin on a rolling wagon to the instr part of St. Alfonzo. Finally, a gym sock still damp pobably is shown to the sound of STINKFOOT! The last few secs are a still Please don't ask me to describe the Ludens ad! :^) Glenn

From: Charles Ulrich

Is it animated?

From: Bill Lantz

Yes, some of Cal's best stuff..if you've seen the Ryko promo Snow Globe, you've seen the Eskimo that's in it.

From: Charles Ulrich

Black and white line drawings? Colored? Collage cut-outs?

From: Bill Lantz

Colored, moving animation. It was also part of a three piece animation film Cal put together called "Reel". I don't think it was ever released. Another piece was Dental Hygiene Dilemma from 200 Motels. The last piece was an excerpt from The Naked Ape.

Speakeasy

LOS ANGELES—"Speak Easy," a new syndicated TV series showcassing music industry executives and performers, has snared Clive Davis, former Columbia Records president, to guest on one of the segments.

Davis along with Frank Zappa and Richard Perry, taped their one-hour segment last week at KTTV with host Chip Monck.

The show, sold in a reported 120 markets, is produced by J. Walter Thompson with Michael White the producer. Several NBC owned and operated stations, including New York and Los Angeles have bought the show for Saturday night airing at 1 a.m.

Guests discuss music with some performance. The first program airs May 11 with Emerson, Lake and Palmer, and Jim Stafford. Stafford performs three numbers on the show.

The pilot featured James Taylor, Dr. John and Grace Slick and was shown in two markets, New York and locally. The series will be on the air for 13 weeks with 13 repeats.

Saturday, September 7, 1974; Television This Week, The New York Times, September 1, 1974

David Graham

There is also a 13 part music/interview series shown on NBC TV in New York between may > october 1974 (it was shown 2 times during the 6 months).

Denis Griffin, November 4, 2012

FZ was on show #3 of the series.

Ken Walter

I definitely saw FZ on a late night rock talk show in the NYC area called "Speakeasy" that was on briefly circa 1974. The host was a guy named Chip Monck (also emcee at Woodstock) and he'd have various guests. Frank was on with Tom Waits (whom he introduced), perhaps Bill Wyman, and definitely Clive Davis.

At one point I recall Clive Davis asking the other guests who were the most important or influential musicians in rock. Frank said something like, "The Beatles, the Stones, Lightning Slim, Johnny Guitar Watson, and Willie Mae Thornton." I think old Clive was pretty surprised by the answer.

Jeff, alt.fan.frank-zappa, May 13, 1998

I saw Frank on a roundtable styled talk show called "SpeakEasy" in the early seventies hosted by Chip Monk—same guy who was at Woodstock, anyway I think Chuck Berry was actually there with Frank and Chip asked Frank who was the most influential force in rock and roll and Frank answered Chuck Berry, amongst a few others. Frank was sleeping during most of the interview and opened his eyes to answer questions posed at him, then closed his eyes again.

Ttuerf, alt.fan.frank-zappa, October 24, 2010

Does anybody remember Chip Monck's "Speakeasy" show where he interviewed FZ and at some point in the show they cut away for a pre-recorded musical interlude from Waits? It cuts back to Monck saying to Frank something about the two of them having the same agent and Zappa dryly saying, "Yeah, we've done a couple of gigs with Tom," and I think that's all he wanted to say about it.

ZAPPED AGAIN!—Host Chip Monck meets with his guests on "SpeakEasy," the rock-talk show that presents the people who make music. In this segment, musician Frank Zappa discusses the making of an album with Clive Davis (former president of Columbia Records), Chip, and Richard Perry (the noted record producer for such stars as Ringo Starr and Barbra Streisand).

DiscReet Studio TV Special

Zappa's Quickie Special

LOS ANGELES—Frank Zappa, consistently one of rock's most groundbreaking users of electronic technology, has outdone himself this time with a self-produced TV special that took just two-and-one-half days from original conception to actual taping.

At the first meeting on the proposed TV project the evening of June 18, Zappa suggested they start production the next day since he and the Mothers had 48 hours off. Taping actually took place June 21, with the group performing before an invited audience at DiscReet's large rehearsal studio.

Sound was by Wally Heider's remote truck. Zappa and Herb Cohen of DiscReet co-produced with Mort Libov. Dick Darley directed a five-camera videotape crew. The TV special is now being sold for airing in October.

Rome

Al Fresco ( Javier): September, 14 2007:

According to Angel Casas (Spanish journalist of Vibraciones magazine) two film cameras took some shots of the rehearsal at this first gig in Rome before to have an exclusive interview with FZ at the beginning of the European tour. (I suppose those could be RAI tv).

duration: 38.27
location: USA;AUSTRALIA
summary: OPENS WITH NORMAN SINGING "THERE&apos;S NOTHING LEFT FOR ME" AS HE SURVEYS THE SOUVENIRS OF HIS SHOWS.THIS IS THE FINAL EPISODE OF THE SECOND SERIES.FIRST GUEST IS ASTROLOGER MARC DE PASCALE,WHO PONDERS NORMAN&apos;S FUTURE AND THE FUTURE OF

From: Brian Lagerman

From: Bil Hansen

NG was a character, running a tv talk show that was broadcast nationally in Aus, famous for his irreverent humour and satirising the lounge-act talk shows then fashionable. NG was noted for asking guests, including visiting performers, hard questions probing trendy gossip.

FZ accepted the invitation to appear on NG's show in 76. At the end of the interview, NG pulled out his harmonica and offered to jam with FZ. FZ, seemingly thinking that NG was a lightweight, obliged and was then taken aback when the two of them pulled off a respectable musical moment or two.

From: Zank Frappa (January 24, 2002)

You obviously know more about this subject than I do, but I do have to take issue with this comment. I have a video snippet of this performance, and NG comes across as a fool. FZ comes across as thinking he's a fool, and the musical performance is rather lame. Still an amusing bit of history though...

From: Bil Hansen (January 24, 2002)

That, ie coming across as a fool, was NG's act. The NG character was based on being the antithesis of a suave, sophisticated, all-knowing, well-briefed tv-show host. Hence the pieces of toilet paper, permanently applied to NG's face to staunch the blood from his razor cuts. Hence the ill-fitting and unsightly jacket etc.

As for the musical performance being lame, you could be right. I do remember, at the time of the original broadcast, thinking that NG had surprised FZ with NG's musical ability and that both of them had acquitted themselves reasonably well for something that was unscripted, unrehearsed and, at least for FZ, unexpected.

From: cool Zeek on the corner (January 25, 2002)

I'd like to know what the small musical joke was that Gunston threw in at the end of the that little jelly (oh sorry you guys call it a jam over there don't you?). I think it was some very official trumpet playing which is or was used in full military ceremonies in Australia. Probably such as when the queen comes to town. As the interview seemed to have been prerecorded Zappa wasn't aware of the laughter. Gunston was "taking the piss" out of Zappa by making a reference he was oblivious to. Your own medicine tastes wierd.

From: Tony Furze (June 5, 2005)

re:cool zeek in the corner's question about the meaning of the last bit of the harmonica/guitar duet between Norman Gunston & FZ, Gunston threw in the the theme from the Australian Broadcasting Commission (ie public TV/radio)'s nightly TV news. I remember rolling around on the floor. Why is such incongruity so funny? Probably something to do with lifting the ordinary into the realms of the banal being one of the cores of comic effectiveness.

From Bil Hansen (June 2, 2006)

The musical reference that Gunston (aka Garry MacDonald) uses to close his harmonica jelly with FZ is 'Majestic Fanfare' written in 1935 by the British composer Charles Williams (1893-1978).

CW is perhaps better remembered for his 'Dream of Owen', but 20th century Australians knew 'Majestic Fanfare' as the theme music for radio and television news programs on the government funded Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC, formerly the Australian Broadcasting Commission).

The ABC paid Richard Mills to 're-orchestrate' its news theme and started using the new theme (which still refers to 'Majestic Fanfare' in 2000.

Norman Gunston was a satirical character created by the Australian comic actor Garry McDonald.

Dubbed "the little Aussie bleeder" he first appeared on the TV comedy The Aunty Jack Show in 1973 as a gormless TV reporter from Woolongong. He later satirised parochial Australian culture, media "personalities", egocentric talk show hosts and sycophantic "all-round entertainers" in Woolongong The Brave (1974) and the award-winning Norman Gunston Show (first broadcast in 1975).

Norman Gunston later appeared on stage with the Mothers, as heard on FZ:OZ.